Simple, Sensible and Effective Diets

Superfoods – Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are said to be a superfood, this is a marketing term used for foods that are nutrient rich and relatively low in calories. Some superfoods such as Chia seeds have a long history of being held in high regard.

The first record of Chia seeds being part of a diet is around 3500B.C. by the Aztecs, and Chia has been consumed by certain peoples in Mexico up to around 900B.C. and beyond. Some peoples have used Chia in their diet up to the present day.

Chia seeds were used in drinks, pressed to extract their oil, eaten whole, ground and used for baking and used in medicinal preparations. Chia means strength in Mayan, and it was used by some tribes as a food to increase the endurance of warriors.

We can use Chia seeds in bread, soups, add to yogurt, mix it with water and drink it, add to other drinks. A good way to prepare Chia seeds is to pre mix them with water and store them in a bowl for use, already hydrated, as Chia seeds absorb a lot of liquid. The seeds form a gel like substance when mixed like this and will allow you to take a couple of tablespoons of the mixture straight. Chia seeds have a very mild nutty taste, so they are very versatile.

Chia seeds are an excellent source of nutrition but no studies have concluded that Chia seeds will cause you to lose weight just because you eat them. Chia seeds do have the effect of filling you up and keeping you feeling more satisfied for longer after eating a meal with the seeds added as an ingredient.

Chia seeds absorb about 12 times their weight in water. If pre-mixed, the seeds can help you to stay hydrated and feel more full for longer, resulting in you eating less.

The bottom line is that Chia seeds have not been proven to cause weight loss, but they can aid a person’s diet by making other foods and drinks more filling at a reasonably low calorie count. They also provide nutrients that the the body needs to stay healthy.